Friday Is National Lobster Day!

Shaw's Crab House celebrates the decadent crustacean in June with "Lobster Festival." (Photo: Shaw's Crab House)

You could be having the absolute worst week of your life, but this news should most certainly pep you up: June 15 is National Lobster Day.

Here's where you should go to celebrate:

Head to South Loop hot spot Acadia for a special deal on chef Ryan McCaskey's pretty legit lobster roll. You'll get it with house-made salt & vinegar chips and an Allagash White beer for $18. Here's a tidbit that should get your mouth watering: McCaskey's so hardcore about his lobster roll that he gets the buns FedExed in from a small market in Maine.

Over at Fishbar, in Lakeview, chef Michael Kornick's pretty obsessed about his signature lobster roll as well. You'll find his stuffed to the gills with fresh lobster and the buttery rolls made in-house.


GT Fish & Oyster's signature lobster roll. (Photo: Freddy Love)

Yet another irresistible lobster roll can be found at GT Fish & Oyster. It's so popular at the seafood-focused River North restaurant that it's quite shocking that it doesn't sell out every day.

Navy Pier is likely one of the last places on earth you want to be on a Friday evening in the summer, but this should make the trek worth your time: the Riva Lobster Diavolo special at Riva. You'll get 1 ¼ lb whole Maine lobster with linguine in a spicy tomato sauce for $42.

Shaw's Crab House (also in Schaumburg) celebrates Maine lobsters all month during its annual Lobster Festival. What that means is that you'll get the New England Lobster Boil for $36.99 per person. The three-course, family-style dinner includes a cup of clam chowder or lobster bisque, one-pound whole Maine Lobster, corn on the cob, boiled red potatoes, a side of coleslaw, and a slice of Key Lime pie. For an additional $16, guests can purchase an extra one-pound lobster.

And Tavern on Rush fetes the fave crustacean every day with the Lobster Cobb salad—a new addition to the menu. It comes with mixed greens, bleu cheese, avocado, mushrooms, bacon, tomatoes and a boiled egg for $22.95. Oh yeah: Bring a friend to share because the dish is impossibly large.